How to evaluate good communication skills ?

Tests

• Several tests designed to gauge and measure the communication skills of the individual are currently available online (e.g. Mindtools.com or Queendom.com.) These tests consist of a battery of multiple answer prompts such as "When people talk to me, I try to see their perspectives" (answered with a range from "Not at All" to "Very Often" and "I use e-mail to communicate complex issues with people. It's quick and efficient." These prompts are designed not only to gauge how present communication skills are, but how they manifest themselves in the individual. Some people find they are good verbal communicators but need to work on their written communication while others find person-to-person contact to be more of a challenge than delivering a report to a large group.

Mirrors

• If you are looking to solve problems related to verbal communication or body language, practicing in front of a mirror can help you find the flaws or mischaracterizations in your presentation. For many, there is a dissonance between their actual mannerisms and their perceived mannerisms; using a mirror, you can gauge your body language, your facial expressions, amount of eye contact, and overall confidence. This gauging technique is also valuable when trying new variations and revising your body language during communication.

Book Reports

 

• In effective communication, it is as important to listen and comprehend as it is to talk and be understood. According to the ERIC Clearinghouse on Reading and Communication Skills, "Listening tests typically resemble reading comprehension tests except that the student listens to a passage instead of reading it." One of the most effective ways to test your listening and comprehension skills (as well as written communication) is to listen to an audio book, then to write a short synopsis of it. Once complete, look up a short synopsis of the same book online and compare it to the one you wrote. Discrepancies can tell you what sort of concepts you are having trouble comprehending and often the length of your attention span.

Employees need to know how well they’re communicating and dealing with others so that they can effectively carry out their responsibilities and meet their short-term and long-term objectives. Ironically, some managers have difficulty communicating assessments in these two areas, especially when it comes to written comments. The managers are concerned that their feedback on communication won’t be communicated clearly, and they worry that providing feedback on interpersonal relations will actually strain the working relationships instead of improving them. When written comments focus on vague and general trends and themes, these outcomes are the most likely.

Written and Verbal Communication

Exceptional: Consistently exceeds expectations

• Is a master of written communication

• Is the go-to person when others need help with writing

• Has the most readable writing in the company

• Keeps e-mail messages on target and to the point

• Has clear, direct, and concise writing

• Writes without grammatical errors

• Creates reports and documentation that are consistently outstanding

• Is a compelling speaker

• Says more by saying less

• Actively listens to others

• Thinks before he talks

• Uses captivating language

• Gives highly organized presentations

• Is a superb public speaker

• Is totally comfortable in front of a group

• Is known as the company wordsmith

• Is a great debater

• Is a great communicator

• Is an enthralling speaker who easily holds the attention of others

• Reads other people well

• Senses when others are on data overload and when they need more information

Excellent: Frequently exceeds expectations

• Has very readable writing

• Hits the perfect level of detail

• Writes to the point, rather than around it

• Is a gifted writer

• Has raised the writing in her department to a new level

• Sets the standard for excellent business writing

• Proofreads carefully

• Carefully crafts all his writing

• Is always well organized with her written work

• Selects the appropriate writing style for different readers and situations

• Holds the interest of others in his writing

• Is a clear and articulate communicator

• Has an outstanding vocabulary, but never overdoes it

• Generates a great deal of interest whenever she speaks

• Communicates easily with everyone

• Is an excellent writing coach

• Effectively reads subtle cues and body language

• Is smooth without being slick

Fully competent: Meets expectations

• Is confident and comfortable with writing projects

• Is at ease and effective in front of a group

• Prepares thoroughly before making presentations

• Communicates easily with employees at all levels

• Is not inclined to talk for the sake of talking

• Is a good listener

• Uses words effectively and economically

• Is clear and informative when speaking or writing

• Avoids excessive use of jargon

• Writes with very few grammatical errors

Marginal: Occasionally fails to meet expectations

• Uses a writing style that can be difficult to understand

• Hasn’t shown interest in becoming a better writer

• Procrastinates on projects that involve writing

• Sends e-mail messages that are unclear

• Writes too much on every project

• Has writing that lacks adequate detail and specificity

• Doesn’t listen carefully enough, and communication suffers as a result

• Speaks without organizing his thoughts

• Provides too much detail

• Doesn’t provide enough detail

• Uses e-mail style for formal written business communications

• Needs to listen more and talk less

Unsatisfactory: Consistently fails to meet expectations

• Writes with numerous grammatical errors and typos

• Takes a long time to get to the point

• Ignores punctuation

• Is a grammatical nightmare

• Tends to ramble

• Tends to mumble

• Uses inappropriate terms and expressions

• Is insensitive to others in her comments

• Is unaware of messages that his body language is sending

• Produces work that always needs significant editing

• Often uses the wrong words

• Rushes when writing, and it shows

• Doesn’t pay attention to the cues and body language of others

• Doesn’t listen

Looking at the posts of others, I have nothing more to add

Communication is about more than just exchanging information. It's about understanding the emotion and intentions behind the information. Effective communication is also a two-way street. It’s not only how you convey a message so that it is received and understood by someone in exactly the way you intended, it’s also how you listen to gain the full meaning of what’s being said and to make the other person feel heard and understood. More than just the words you use, effective communication combines a set of skills including nonverbal communication, engaged listening, managing stress in the moment, the ability to communicate assertively, and the capacity to recognize and understand your own emotions and those of the person you’re communicating with. Effective communication is the glue that helps you deepen your connections to others and improve teamwork, decision making, and problem solving. It enables you to communicate even negative or difficult messages without creating conflict or destroying trust. While effective communication is a learned skill, it is more effective when it’s spontaneous rather than formulaic. A speech that is read, for example, rarely has the same impact as a speech that’s delivered (or appears to be delivered) spontaneously. Of course, it takes time and effort to develop these skills and become an effective communicator. The more effort and practice you put in, the more instinctive and spontaneous your communication skills will become. Barriers to effective interpersonal communication Stress and out-of-control emotion. When you’re stressed or emotionally overwhelmed, you’re more likely to misread other people, send confusing or off-putting nonverbal signals, and lapse into unhealthy knee-jerk patterns of behavior. Take a moment to calm down before continuing a conversation. Lack of focus. You can’t communicate effectively when you’re multitasking. If you’re planning what you’re going to say next, daydreaming, checking text messages, or thinking about something else, you’re almost certain to miss nonverbal cues in the conversation. You need to stay focused on the moment-to-moment experience. Inconsistent body language. Nonverbal communication should reinforce what is being said, not contradict it. If you say one thing, but your body language says something else, your listener will likely feel you’re being dishonest. For example, you can’t say “yes” while shaking your head no. Negative body language. If you disagree with or dislike what’s being said, you may use negative body language to rebuff the other person’s message, such as crossing your arms, avoiding eye contact, or tapping your feet. You don’t have to agree, or even like what’s being said, but to communicate effectively without making the other person defensive it’s important to avoid sending negative signals. Improving communication skills #1: Become an engaged listener People often focus on what they should say, but effective communication is less about talking and more about listening. Listening well means not just understanding the words or the information being communicated, but also understanding the emotions the speaker is trying to communicate. There’s a big difference between engaged listening and simply hearing. When you really listen—when you’re engaged with what’s being said—you’ll hear the subtle intonations in someone’s voice that tell you how that person is feeling and the emotions they’re trying to communicate. When you’re an engaged listener, not only will you better understand the other person, you’ll also make that person feel heard and understood, which can help build a stronger, deeper connection between you. By communicating in this way, you’ll also experience a process that lowers stress and supports physical and emotional well-being. If the person you’re talking to is calm, for example, listening in an engaged way will help to calm you, too. Similarly, if the person is agitated, you can help calm them by listening in an attentive way and making the person feel understood. How do you become an engaged listener? If your goal is to fully understand and connect with the other person, listening in an engaged way will often come naturally. If it doesn’t, try the following tips. The more you practice them, the more satisfying and rewarding your interactions with others will become. Focus fully on the speaker, his or her body language, tone of voice, and other nonverbal cues. Tone of voice conveys emotion, so if you’re thinking about other things, checking text messages, or doodling, you’re almost certain to miss the nonverbal cues and the emotional content behind the words being spoken. And if the person talking is similarly distracted, you’ll be able to quickly pick up on it. If you find it hard to concentrate on some speakers, try repeating their words over in your head—it’ll reinforce their message and help you stay focused. Favor your right ear. The left side of the brain contains the primary processing centers for both speech comprehension and emotions. Since the left side of the brain is connected to the right side of the body, favoring your right ear can help you better detect the emotional nuances of what someone is saying. Try keeping your posture straight, your chin down, and tilting your right ear towards the speaker—this will make it easier to pick up on the higher frequencies of human speech that contain the emotional content of what’s being said. Avoid interrupting or trying to redirect the conversation to your concerns, by saying something like, “If you think that’s bad, let me tell you what happened to me.” Listening is not the same as waiting for your turn to talk. You can’t concentrate on what someone’s saying if you’re forming what you’re going to say next. Often, the speaker can read your facial expressions and know that your mind’s elsewhere. Show your interest in what’s being said. Nod occasionally, smile at the person, and make sure your posture is open and inviting. Encourage the speaker to continue with small verbal comments like “yes” or “uh huh.” Try to set aside judgment. In order to communicate effectively with someone, you don’t have to like them or agree with their ideas, values, or opinions. However, you do need to set aside your judgment and withhold blame and criticism in order to fully understand a person. The most difficult communication, when successfully executed, can lead to the most unlikely and profound connection with someone. Provide feedback. If there seems to be a disconnect, reflect what has been said by paraphrasing. "What I'm hearing is," or "Sounds like you are saying," are great ways to reflect back. Don’t simply repeat what the speaker has said verbatim, though—you’ll sound insincere or unintelligent. Instead, express what the speaker’s words mean to you. Ask questions to clarify certain points: "What do you mean when you say," or "Is this what you mean?"